Kuala lumpur: The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) has launched the Kebun di Rumah Sendiri (KENDIRI) campaign to empower Malaysians with practical home farming knowledge. The initiative is a strategic national intervention to encourage every household to voluntarily grow some of their own food at home.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, KPKM Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu emphasized that home gardens are not intended to replace the national food supply system but to serve as a resilient supplementary food source. "When every home can grow and harvest part of their daily vegetable and herb needs, we not only save on expenses but also build family resilience in facing any crisis or climate change," he stated during the KENDIRI launch, held in conjunction with the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Exhibition (MAHA) 2026.
Mohamad explained that the core philosophy of KENDIRI is based on an inclusive, practical, and flexible concept, emphasizing the principle of using whatever space is available. The goal of the campaign is to transform Malaysian homes into domestic ecosystems capable of supplying fresh, clean, safe produce, free from excessive pesticides, whenever needed.
He highlighted the government's consistent commitment to domestic and community agriculture, beginning with the Urban Agriculture Programme introduced in 2014 under the 10th Malaysia Plan (MP10). The Department of Agriculture has allocated RM114 million to support this initiative, which has benefitted over 45,076 community gardens and 251,510 participants nationwide.
"Entering the MP13 phase, the government is continuing this commitment by providing an allocation ceiling of RM30 million specifically to strengthen community agriculture projects at 1,370 locations, targeting 13,700 community members," Mohamad added.
During a press conference, Mohamad announced that MAHA 2026 is expected to attract over four million visitors throughout its 10-day run. "But looking at today's turnout, I think the numbers will be even higher. As of now (3.45 pm), we have already had 43,000 people attend MAHA 2026," he noted.
In a separate event, Mohamad witnessed the exchange of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) and Maybank Islamic Bhd (MIB) to strengthen agrifood entrepreneur development through financing, capacity building, halal certification, and market access expansion. FAMA was represented by its director-general, Faisal Irwardi Ismail, while MIB was represented by its group chief executive officer of Islamic Banking, Mohamad Yasin Abdullah.
FAMA, in its statement, announced the continued focus on the development and competitiveness of agrifood entrepreneurs through the launch of the Agribusiness Segment at MAHA 2026. The segment features 141 booths, with 131 local entrepreneurs, showcasing food and beverages, ready-to-eat products, snacks, traditional foods, and seafood products, targeting 200,000 visitors and RM4 million in sales throughout the exhibition.